GOVERNMENT is already facing criticisms from the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) over the signing of a $626- million project to improve the Junction main road in St Mary, starting in October.

A release from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) yesterday stated that the Government would be “solely financing the rehabilitation works of the critical Junction corridor”, which links Kingston and St Andrew to the eastern parishes of St Mary and Portland.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness pointed out that the Junction Road “selected itself for repair”, as the state of the road deserves the Government’s attention.

He added that the Government is committed to infrastructure development and improving connectivity among major hubs in the country.

But PNP general secretary, Julian Robinson, told a press briefing on yesterday’s private session of the four-day-long annual party conference at the National Arena, that the party found it “more than coincidental” that the announcement was being made prior to the calling of a by-election to fill the vacant South East St Mary seat.

“We are going to be watching it very carefully,” he said, warning that the Opposition will stoutly resist the project if there is any indication of partisan practices.

However, Jamaica Observer records show that the funds were allocated prior to this year, as confirmed by the late former MP Dr Winston Green in an interview with the newspaper in January. Green told the reporter that he could not give a timeline for the start of the project.

The OPM release, which was issued almost the same time as the PNP was holding the press conference, stated that the prime minister signed a contract with Surrey Paving and Aggregates Limited for Package 1 of the Tom’s River to Agualta Vale (Agualta Vale to Broadgate) improvement project.

The release stated that improvement works will be undertaken under Phase II of the Government Roads Rehabilitation Project. The total value of the project was said to be approximately $626 million, including the works component and management fees for the contractors.

At approximately the same time the release was received by the news media, Robinson informed the press conference that the Opposition was aware that the Government was about to sign a contract in the parish of St Mary “valued at some $600 million”.

Robinson was not in a position then to say exactly what the figure was, or whether the project would have been limited to the Junction main road, a thoroughfare he said he was very familiar with.

“Don’t hold me to the figure, but I understand that a large road work programme was announced today by the Government,” he told the briefing.

“Let me say, first of all, as a party, we are not opposed to work that is going to be done where it is needed, and we certainly know that the Junction Road in St Mary is in urgent need of repairs and the people of St Mary would be deserving,” he stated

Robinson explained that he has been travelling on the road since he was about four years old, and that it was in “the worst condition that it has ever been in”.

“So, we are not against the work being done. But, I am going to issue a warning to the Government: If they use this money as a means to corruptly influence this by-election, the PNP is going to stoutly resist it,” he said.

“We have already written to the ombudsman and the OCG (Office of Contractor General). In fact, we are to have a meeting with the ombudsman on Tuesday at nine o’clock to ask the ombudsman, and the OCG, to monitor these works, to ensure that if these works are being done, that it is done in a fair manner,” he said.

Prime Minister Holness says the road improvement project is part of the strategic development of Jamaica’s critical infrastructure.

“We understand that the strategic development of Jamaica is intrinsically linked to our infrastructure development, in particular our roadways and highways. We are opening people to increased access and opportunities,” Holness said.

He said that the project is only a portion of the Government’s financial commitment to the parish of St Mary since the start of this financial year.

“We have pumped well over a billion dollars through infrastructural works in St Mary since April 2017,” he explained.

The prime minister also revealed that the works will impact 18.4km of the main road from Tom’s River to Agualta Vale and will be done in two separate contract packages.

He said that the rehabilitation of the Agualta Vale to Broadgate corridor will improve road safety and manoeuvrability by removing some of the deep curves in the roadway, increasing mobility, and reducing both travel time and transportation costs along the corridor.

“The proposed works will have a long-term impact on neighbouring towns and communities. At the end of the project I expect the people of St Mary and Portland to say their tax dollars were well spent,” he concluded.

The St Mary South Eastern seat was made vacant by the death of the PNP’s Dr Winston Green.